Studies have shown that both good and bad cholesterol is affected by essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids such as EPA and DHA (two omega-3 essential fatty acids) have been shown to reduce bad cholesterol and triglyceride rates and those who follow a high omega-3 fatty acid diet such as the Mediterranean diet or the diet of the Inuit Eskimos tend to have higher good cholesterol levels.
If you want to lower your negative cholesterol levels or increase your positive cholesterol levels then you should aim at eating a diet high in omega-3 rich foods. Cholesterol is affected by essential fatty acids found in fatty fish and generally a diet that includes two to three servings of fish per week can be recommended to help reduce bad cholesterol levels.
Fish oil supplements may also be used. As mentioned previously bad cholesterol is affected by essential fatty acids such as EPA and DHA which are found in fish oil supplements.
Increasing the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet may also help affect cholesterol by enabling some cholesterol-lowering drugs to function more effectively. As discussed above omega-3 fatty acids may increased in your diet using fatty fish and fish oil supplements but you may also get omega-3 fatty acids from other sources such as flaxseed oil, seeds and nuts as well as a small amount being found in green vegetables but the amount of essential fatty acids in green vegetables would not be sufficient to affect cholesterol without some other form of supplementation.
Walnuts are also a good source of the essential fatty acid ALA which can be converted into EPA and DHA. They have been shown to lower total cholesterol levels as well as triglyceride levels.
Cholesterol is affected by essential fatty acids and in particular EPA and DHA have been shown to reduce bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels. If you want to lower your bad cholesterol levels you should increase your intake of fatty fish, green vegetables, walnuts, nuts and seeds as well as taking flaxseed oil or fish oil supplements.
Glossary:
Essential fatty acids: Fatty acids essential for physical and mental wellbeing which cannot be produced by the body.
Omega 3 essential fatty acids: A group of fatty acids including ALA, GLA and DHA
Triglyceride: levels of 'bad' fats in the blood